Mesa sets table for Thunder shutout

Jose Mesa Jr. has been doing so well since his promotion to Double-A, even a foot injury couldn't slow him down.
The Yankees prospect rebounded from a ricochet by allowing one hit and recording a career-high eight strikeouts over six innings Tuesday as Double-A Trenton blanked Portland, 8-0, at ARM & HAMMER Park.

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"[ Josh Ockimey ] hit me with a comebacker, but it was an out -- it went straight to the first baseman," Mesa said of the second-inning deflection. "Everything was good, thanks to God, and I just executed everything and mixed my pitches well."
Mesa (3-0) cruised from the outset, working around a walk in the second to Henry Urrutia and holding the Sea Dogs hitless for 5 2/3 frames.
"I noticed it in the fifth inning," the 24-year-old said. "I hadn't really thought about it, but I knew the only guy who got on base was the walk after I got hit on the foot. But I was just trying to go out there and make quality pitches and get quick outs so I could stay in the game longer."

In the sixth, Mesa issued a two-out walk to Danny Mars, bringing Josh Tobias to the plate. After starting him with a fastball and a slider, the right-hander offered an outside changeup that caught a little too much of the plate as the No. 28 Red Sox prospect slapped it back up the middle for a single.

As Mars rounded second, he slipped and was tagged out by Nick Solak to end the inning.
"It could've been a close play at third with the arm that [Rashad] Crawford has in center, but thankfully, he fell and I just started yelling, 'two, two, two,'" Mesa said. "And, thankfully, they made that play and everything turned out good."
The son of the former All-Star closer of the same name eclipsed by one his previous high for strikeouts, established on Aug. 3 at Binghamton in his third professional start. Mesa got into four three-ball counts as he threw 53 of 80 pitches for strikes.
"Everything was working well, just pretty much working in and out and changing speeds and just throwing everything with confidence" he said. "Just mixed all my pitches well and worked well with the catcher [Francisco Diaz] and everything went well, as we planned."
Drawing confidence from within as well as from his faith, Mesa has had a smooth transition to the rotation and to Double-A. After making a couple of appearances with Trenton earlier this season, he was promoted for good on July 31. The Florida native has a 0.93 ERA with 26 strikeouts and 10 walks over 19 1/3 innings in four games, including three starts.
"It feels good, it's a good time to do it, especially toward the end of the season. The team notices that the hard work pays off and it's a good time to make a strong push to see how far we can finish and how high up," Mesa said. "I just want to keep helping the team win, with whatever position I'm in, with whatever level I'm at."
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The Thunder staked Mesa to a comfortable lead with a seven-run first inning as Diaz helped his batterymate with an RBI single. Mike Ford homered and plated another run with a single.
Raynel Espinal struck out three over 1 2/3 hitless innings and Colten Brewer got the last three outs, fanning three, in Trenton's Eastern League-leading 19th shutout.